Nation's first cherry blossoms bloom in Hiroshima in second earliest flowering on record

Japan Times -- Mar 12

Cherry trees bloomed on Thursday in Hiroshima, the first in the nation this year and the second-earliest on record since observations began in 1953, the Meteorological Agency said.

It is the first time the country’s earliest blooming of the Somei-Yoshino variety has been observed in Hiroshima.

The earliest ever blooming was recorded on March 10, 2010, in the city of Kochi, according to the agency.

At Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima, an agency official found more than five flowers on a tree designated for observation Thursday afternoon, fulfilling conditions to declare the blooming of the flowers 16 days earlier than in an average year and 11 days earlier than last year.

Mar 12 (TBS NEWS) - 全国で最初に春本番を迎えています。  「ソメイヨシノの開花を観測しました」(気象台の職員)  全国のトップを切って、広島市でソメイヨシノの開花が発表されました。午後3時に気象台の職員が確認しました。  広島でのサクラの開花は、去年よりも11日早く、平年と比べても半月以上早い発表です。広島地方気象台は「先月から気温の高い日が多かったからではないか」としています。